Non-sparking designs – While most Allen™ keys use an alloy steel or tool steel material in their fabrication, there are options available that utilize Beryllium Copper in lieu of steel. The Beryllium Copper material will not create sparks if the tool accidentally slips and strikes another metal surface. The non-sparking feature of this material makes these types of Allen™ wrenches suitable for use in applications where the presence of flammable gases or combustible liquids might exist. Allen™ wrenches or Allen™ keys are generally available in several different styles or types. The most common Allen™ wrench type is the one mentioned earlier – the L-shaped hex key – but there are other variations that incorporate different handle designs, utilize different materials, or add special features. A summary of the most common Allen™ wrench types is found below: Figure 1 below shows the cross-sectional profile of the Allen™ wrench or Allen™ key. The important parameter that establishes the size of the Allen™ wrench or Allen™ key is the width across flats, which is the distance between any two of the faces of the tool that are parallel to each other. Range of access – Allen™ wrenches that feature a hex ball end can allow fasteners to be accessed from angles other than directly in the same plane as the fastener. This can simplify assembly & disassembly in close quarter conditions. Figure 1 – The cross-section of an Allen™ key showing the measurement for width across flats Types of Allen™ Wrenches

Hex Keys | Allen Key Sets | Screwfix

Pressure points – the hex design of the Allen™ screw distributes force from the tool against 6 surfaces compared with 4 for the Phillips head screw and 2 for the slotted screw. This makes it easier to loosen or tighten these fasteners and can make it less likely to strip or damage a fastener while loosening or tightening. Allen™ screws and wrenches are not the be-all-end-all in the world of fasteners and tools. Some complaints focus on the tool size being too small to allow for one to apply sufficient torque in all cases. Also, inferior materials used in the manufacturing of either the wrench or the screw can render them easy to damage in spite of the increased number of pressure points. But they are still popular more than 100 years after William G. Allen™ filed for his patent and will likely be here to stay for the foreseeable future. SummaryTether-ready designs – These Allen™ wrenches include an opening on the handle which can be used to attach a tether that can secure the wrench to the user or to a fixed object such as a scaffold. This feature helps prevent the wrench from accidentally falling into a work area and causing injuries or equipment damage. This feature is useful when the tool user is working on an elevated platform. This article provided a summary of the commonly available sizes of Allen™ wrenches/keys and explained the different types of Allen™ wrenches as well as the advantages of these tools. For information on other topics, consult our additional guides or visit the Thomas Supplier Discovery Platform where you can locate potential sources of supply for over 70,000 different product and service categories, including suppliers of Allen™ wrenches and other hex key wrenches. Hex keys or Allen keys are available in metric sizes and imperial sizes Imperial Allen Keys. They are also available in Allen Key Sets which include a range of popular hex key sizes including 12mm Allen keys. RS also supply Allen keys from leading brands such as Wera Allen Keys, Wera Allen Key Sets and Bondhus Allen Keys Folding Allen Key Sets: Folding Allen Key Sets consist of an outer casing from which a selection of different sized Allen keys can be unfolded, a bit like a penknife or multi-tool

16mm Allen Key | ZORO 16mm Allen Key | ZORO

Allen™ wrenches are available as individual keys of a given size but are also sold in sets that contain a range of standard sizes. Allen™ keys are identified as being either metric-sized keys in millimeter sizes or SAE (Imperial) sized keys in fractions of an inch or decimal equivalents. This article will present information on Allen™ wrenches, what they are, their advantages, and the common sizes that are available in the marketplace. To learn more about other types of fastener products, see the list of related articles at the end of this article. What is an Allen™ Wrench?T-Shaped Hex Keys: T-shaped hex keys or T bar Allen Keys have a crossbar or T shaped handle at the end which provides a better grip L-Shaped Hex Keys: L Shaped Hex Keys or L Keys are the most common type of hex key with a hexagonal tip at each end